“Obaidur Quader its advertisement manger while Hasan Mahmud is his assistant. The Prime Minister herself is its chairperson,” he said.

The BNP leader came up with the remarks at a discussion-cum-milad mahfil arranged by the party at its Nayapaltan central office, marking the holy Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA).

He criticised the Prime Minister for calling BNP founder Ziaur Rahman as an illegal president and accused her of spreading envy and hatred.

“You’re now the President of Awami League thanks to generosity of Ziaur Rahman. You couldn’t have remained Awami League President had it not been for Ziaur Rahman. Awami League revived itself through filing an application at that time (during Zia’s rule). But now you’re saying Ziaur Rahman was an illegal president,” Rizvi said.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Hasina told parliament that BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad were illegal presidents as the court declared their grabbing of state power illegal.

Rizvi said the people are the owner of the country and understand that their franchise, freedom of speech, movement have been looted by the Awami League government. 

BNP organised the Milad Mahfil and discussion programme where special prayers were offered seeking eternal peace of the departed soul of Ziaur Rahman, cure of imprisoned party chief Khaleda Zia, and betterment of party’s acting Chairman Tareq Rahman. 

Nationalist Ulama Party convenor Maulana Shah Nesarul Haque chaired the programme.